I want to thank everyone that has posted a reply to my thread about the quality of buffalo genetics in different countries.

I would like to ask for comments about your overall safari experience when hunting buffalo in these various countries.

In 2002, I hunted in Buffalo for the first time out of a fixed camp in Chete, Zimbabwe. We were on the shores of Lake Kariba hunting buffalo in the jesse going over rolling hills and the flats.

Crawling on your knees, smelling the buffalo, hearing them was incredible. Having to maneuver around pissed off elephants made me feel more alive than I have felt in a long time. I want to return in 2006 for another buffalo. The overall safari experience is as important to me as the quality of the hunting. I want to see and hear Africa while hunting.

I have considered Dande North in Zim with Buz Charlton out of a fly camp, Botswana hunting in the swamps, or hunting in Tanzania. I am not needing to hunt a large number of plainesgame while on this hunt. I want a good buffalo!

Please post for me the pluses and minuses of hunting in these 3 different environments of your overall experience.
What is it like hunting in a swamp out of a leaky canoe? How do you feel when stalking buffalo in grass over your head?

Thanks.

Hey Ron,
I replied to your last post and mentioned that if you have the feelings for Dande then go for it. I am kind of prejudiced in that I am a Zimbabwean myself and so the areas there are kind of special for many different reasons. I have hunted a reasonable amount in different parts of Zimbabwe and some of the most best hunting I have done was in Dande - Buzz is a great guy to hunt with as well.
I have been into the delta a few times and it is awesome. Personally speaking - I love being in the delta coz after a long day in the bush there is nothing better than getting a fly line wet while sipping an ice cold one. I have not hunted there though, just been there on photographic trips. Its a different experience for sure and definitely a good one - I just miss the hills. One of the things I really enjoy about hunting is to climb up a hill and sit on a ledge and glass the valleys, especially early morning or at the end of the day - you get that perfect light and haze in the sky, the francolin are calling...you just cannot beat that. I think that is what separates Dande for me from the rest, that and the Zambezi river!

I have never even been to Tanzania but I have no doubt that somebody else here will help you out with that.

Good luck and keep us up to date with what develops.

Andy
Live to Hunt, Fish to Live.
PS: If you think the elephant in Chete were pissed off wait until you meet them girls from Dande ;-)

I went to Botswana in '94 and swore I would return some day ... I leave within a month. I can't wait. My opinion is that The Okavango is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth.

I hunted the concession North of Dande (in Mozambique) a few years ago. If you go with Buzz, you will be in a good area. I hunted right on the border of his area for about 3 of the days I was there. I assume there will be the same jess there as what we had in Mozambique. I remember it being pretty hilly right on the border. There are some good Buffalo there.

Tanzania, big country. Lots of different areas and different terrain. Are you talking about Selous or Masailand in Tanzania?